Nizhny Novgord: Croatia advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 1998 with a stunning 3-0 victory over Argentina on Thursday.

The result in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, gives Croatia six points while putting Argentina’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage in serious jeopardy. Argentina has just one point from their first two matches and needs to win their final game — and receive some outside help — to get out of the group stage.

Goals from Ante Rebic, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic did the South Americans in after a wonderful performance from the Croatian side on the night.

Willy Caballero was called into action after just five minutes, getting down well to just push wide an Ivan Perisic low drive.

Lionel Messi nearly got on the end of a sumptuous lobbed ball into the box two minutes later, but his outstretched toe could not reach it with Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic caught in no-man’s land.

Argentina worked their best chance of the opening quarter-hour on 13 minutes when Maximiliano Meza was found free in the middle of the box, but his low shot was well-blocked by a sliding Croatia defender. Enzo Perez was unlucky not to score in the 30th minute when confusion in the box led to the ball rolling onto his left foot in the middle of the box, but he somehow fired well wide of the post with Subasic out of position.

Mario Mandzukic returned the favour three minutes later — his diving header from a tight angle badly missed the mark after he was left unmarked at the far post.

Rebic then received a yellow card for an inadvertent stomp on Eduardo Salvio near the sideline, with Jorge Sampaoli and Argentine players calling for a red to be given for the dangerous nature of the challenge.

Rebic was at fault for wasting a wonderful cross-field pass from Modric just before the half. His poor first touch forced him into a half-hearted shot from 25 yards after being played in behind the Argentine back line.

Gabriel Mercado received a yellow just after the break for a cynical tackle to stop Rebic from breaking through the midfield.

Rakitic then completed the rout in second-half stoppage time — the Barcelona man passing past Caballero after the Argentine defence gave up on the play in their own box.

Needing a win to keep their slim hopes alive, Argentina will face Nigeria on Tuesday in St. Petersburg. Croatia will play Iceland in Rostov on the same day.

France beat Peru

Kylian Mbappe became France’s youngest-ever World Cup goal scorer at the age of 19 as his strike secured the 1-0 win that put France through to the round-of-16. Peru started at a fierce pace and almost made a spectacular breakthrough after six minutes when Yoshimar Yotun saw France keeper Hugo Lloris off his line and his lob from around 50 yards dropped onto the top of the net.

France responded when Mbappe tried to feed Antoine Griezmann inside the area but the pass was cut out. Shortly after the 10-minute mark France came close twice in quick succession, Griezmann firing wide from just inside the box and then Paul Pogba narrowly off target with a fierce angled effort.

With Didier Deschamps’ side beginning to take the game by the scruff of the neck, Rafael Varane headed just past the post from a corner and then a powerful Giroud strike was stopped by keeper Pedro Gallese after Olivier Giroud had created the chance.

Australia hold Denmark 1-1

Mile Jedinak scored from a penalty given after a VAR review as Australia came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Denmark.

The Socceroos offered an early threat on the counter when Tom Rogic held the ball up inside the area but Robbie Kruse failed to make anything of the resulting half-chance. But with only seven minutes gone, Denmark were ahead with a goal of the highest quality as Nicolai Jorgensen’s cushioned layoff was crashed into the roof of the net by Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen.

Rogic and Kruse linked once again as Australia looked for a route back into the match, but their efforts were undermined by a lack of quality in the final pass.

Denmark almost doubled their lead when Aaron Mooy lost the ball after 21 minutes, Mat Ryan parrying Pione Sisto’s effort, before Rogic dragged well wide at the other end soon afterwards.

Jorgensen headed wide when he should have scored after a build-up down the right, and then Kruse wanted too much time inside the area as Australia fashioned an opening. After 36 minutes came the incident from which they levelled, Mathew Leckie’s header adjudged, after a VAR review, to have been diverted away by a deliberate handball from Yussuf Poulsen.

When play resumed two minutes later, Mile Jedinak beat Kasper Schmeichel with a low penalty to give Australia reward for their improvement.